Lamont Lyrics

From Berlin & the World of Opera

Heidi Melton, soprano

Dramatic soprano Heidi Melton has been called “the Wagnerian voice we have been waiting for since Flagstad and Nilsson” (La Presse), with a voice that is “big, gleaming and tonally resplendent” (San Francisco Chronicle).  She has performed with the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Bayreuth Festival, Oper Frankfurt, Badisches Staatstheater, Deutsche Oper Berlin and the Canadian Opera Company. Heidi joined Lamont in 2021.

Visit Heidi's Website

From the World of Symphony Orchestras

Courtney Hershey Bress, harp

Courtney Hershey Bress joined the Colorado Symphony as Principal Harp in 2001. Before coming to Denver, Ms. Bress enjoyed a wide and varied freelance career, including engagements with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. She has served as Acting Principal of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and was Principal Harp with the United States Army Field Band in Washington, D.C. Courtney joined Lamont in 2021.

Visit the CSO Website

From the UK & the Worlds of Opera & Broadway

Richard Harris, trombone

A native of Worcestershire, England, trombonist Richard Harris recently performed on the GRAMMY award-winning album Twelve Little Spells with Esperanza Spalding, appeared on the OSCAR-wining soundtrack Joker, released a new recording of the Eric Richards Trombone Quartet Concerto and has performed on Broadway, at The Metropolitan Opera and at Radio City Music Hall. Richard joined LamoVnt in 2020.

Visit Richard's Website

From the World of Composition

Sean Friar, composer & pianist

Sean Friar's first musical experiences were in rock and blues piano improvisation. While his focus shifted toward classical, his compositions have always kept in touch with the energy and communicative directness of those musical roots. His compositions have been called “powerfully engaging and incredibly fun” (I Care if You Listen) and “refreshingly new and solidly mature" (Slate Magazine). Sean joined Lamont in 2020.

Visit Sean's Website

From the Worlds of Horn Performance & New Music

David Byrd-Marrow, horn

Atlanta native David Byrd-Marrow is the solo hornist of the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), a new music collective that performs internationally and serves as ensemble-in-residence at Lincoln Center’s Mostly Mozart Festival. Working with a uniquely wide range of performers, he has premiered works by Matthias Pintscher, Arthur Kampela, George Lewis, Tyshawn Sorey, Anna Thorvaldsdottir, Du Yun, Marcos Balter, Wang Lu, Kate Soper, Miguel Zenón, and Chick Corea. David joined Lamont in 2019.

Visit David's Website

From Iran & the World of Opera

Sahar Nouri, Music Director, Lamont Opera Theatre

Iranian conductor and pianist, Sahar Nouri, returns to Opera Colorado in 2021-22 for a sixth season serving as the company’s chorus master, assistant conductor and principal coach. Previously, Ms. Nouri has been a member of the music staff at San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Dallas Opera, Opera North Carolina, Opera Parallèle, Glimmerglass Festival, Utah Opera, Opera in the Heights, Aspen Opera Theatre, Opera Steamboat and Merola Opera. She is also on the music staff at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Sahar joined Lamont in 2019.

Visit Sahar's Website

From Russia and the World of Violin Performance

Igor Pikayzen, violin

Award-winning Russian-American violinist Igor Pikayzen is confidently establishing himself as one of the most prodigious and in-demand soloists of his generation. Praised on four continents by critics and audiences alike for his “astounding technical ability” and a “majestically lush tone”, Igor Pikayzen “surely is at the forefront of a major musical career” (Moscow Times). Igor joined Lamont in 2019.

Visit Igor's Website

Lamont Opera Theatre

Mozart's "The Magic Flute"

On three nights, Lamont Opera Theatre student singers, LSO musicians, director Matthew Plenk, conductor Sahar Nouri and the Lamont production team streamed a staged and costumed concert production of Mozart’s comic opera The Magic Flute. They overcame safety protocols that had them singing in masks while 12 feet apart.

Master Classes

Met Orchestra Musicians

Principal artists of MET Orchestra Musicians visited the DU campus virtually to teach master classes. While waiting to return to the pit at Lincoln Center, these outstanding musicians imparted their knowledge and performance experience to Lamont students on four Sundays in February.

Photo: Demian Austin, principal trombone

MET Orchestra Musicians Website

Artist in Residence

Joe Alessi, trombone

Joe Alessi, principal trombone with the New York Philharmonic, masked up and came to campus for a residency performing with the Lamont Wind Ensemble, Trombone Choir and the jazz faculty ensemble Phröntrange.

Visit the NY Phil Website

Streaming

230 Streamed Concerts, Master Classes & Events

Lamont's streaming production team built a streaming capability in days and then went on to stream 230 concerts, master classes and events. Screenshot of Lamont graduate cellist Kelcey Howell performing with the Lamont Symphony Orchestra.